New 7x (1 Viewer)

[w.travis]

Just got some "new in box" Hawke Endurance ED Marine 7x32 on eBay for £165. Welcome to the world of blue binoculars.

Very nice, report back to us!

I turn 40 this year, so decided to treat myself. I bit the bullet and bought a Leica UVHD+ 7x42, 30% off on Amazon. Still on sale at 25% off.

They're not perfect, but to me truly are incredible to use. As it should be for the cost of them.

 

[Paultricounty]

Very nice, report back to us!

I turn 40 this year, so decided to treat myself. I bit the bullet and bought a Leica UVHD+ 7x42, 30% off on Amazon. Still on sale at 25% off.

They're not perfect, but to me truly are incredible to use. As it should be for the cost of them.

You know what they say, it’s all downhill after 40 🤪. Seriously , they come pretty close to perfect, enjoy them, it is phenomenal glass. Had mine out today.

 

[w.travis]

You know what they say, it’s all downhill after 40 🤪. Seriously , they come pretty close to perfect, enjoy them, it is phenomenal glass. Had mine out today.

Haha not me! I was staring to experience it in my early 30s. Been on meat based, low carb, high fat diet for 4 years. Feel like I'm early 20s again.

Such nice optics. Very thankful to have them.

 

[Mono]

The Hawkes have arrived. Had a little play about in the garden.

First thoughts...

They are very dense. Looking at them in the box my first thought was how small they were but on picking them up they feel like you could easily use them as an offensive weapon.

They are just on the limit of being too small. The hand real estate is just big enough to get a solid hold. The checkering on the armour is very aggressive, but they are marketed as a marine binocular.

Optically they are perfectly fine, on par with the Zen-Rays. No distracting aberrations. I will need to get some mileage in various lighting conditions to give a proper assessment but they do certainly do the job. One thing I have noticed straight away is that eye placement takes more tweaking. I didn't think the drop from 36-32 would be that noticeable in raw light gathering but the smaller exit-pupil certainly makes a difference with initial presentation.

I know manufacturers are cagey about who actually makes their optics but these Hawkes have so many little similarities with the Zen-Rays. The case is identical except for the logo, the twist direction symbology on the eye-cups is identical.

In the next few days I'll get out and do some actually birding with them and report back.

 

[w.travis]

The Hawkes have arrived. Had a little play about in the garden.

First thoughts...

They are very dense. Looking at them in the box my first thought was how small they were but on picking them up they feel like you could easily use them as an offensive weapon.

They are just on the limit of being too small. The hand real estate is just big enough to get a solid hold. The checkering on the armour is very aggressive, but they are marketed as a marine binocular.

Optically they are perfectly fine, on par with the Zen-Rays. No distracting aberrations. I will need to get some mileage in various lighting conditions to give a proper assessment but they do certainly do the job. One thing I have noticed straight away is that eye placement takes more tweaking. I didn't think the drop from 36-32 would be that noticeable in raw light gathering but the smaller exit-pupil certainly makes a difference with initial presentation.

I know manufacturers are cagey about who actually makes their optics but these Hawkes have so many little similarities with the Zen-Rays. The case is identical except for the logo, the twist direction symbology on the eye-cups is identical.

In the next few days I'll get out and do some actually birding with them and report back.

That's great to hear they are optically on par with the zen ed2 7x36

 

[Paultricounty]

Haha not me! I was staring to experience it in my early 30s. Been on meat based, low carb, high fat diet for 4 years. Feel like I'm early 20s again.

Such nice optics. Very thankful to have them.

Lol, same here, lost 60 pounds on keto in about a year. I’m in my 60’s and get on a judo mat three times a week and coach on Saturdays . Before I couldn’t lift myself off the floor .

As much as I love all the high quality Swarovski, Zeiss and Nikons, to me there is something special in the Leica’s image quality that the others lack. And of course build quality is second to none.

Paul

 

[w.travis]

Lol, same here, lost 60 pounds on keto in about a year. I’m in my 60’s and get on a judo mat three times a week and coach on Saturdays . Before I couldn’t lift myself off the floor .

As much as I love all the high quality Swarovski, Zeiss and Nikons, to me there is something special in the Leica’s image quality that the others lack. And of course build quality is second to none.

Paul

That's great to hear!

I'm loving them!

 

[Cest]

10 years ago I was diagnosed diabetic. Lost 50 lbs., ate less carbs and sugars, ate less calories, and exercised every day. The diabetes went into remission. The change is life style was great. I can do so much more. No desire to go back.

I finally gave up and ordered the Pentax SD 7x42 ED. Just couldn't hold out.

 

[w.travis]

10 years ago I was diagnosed diabetic. Lost 50 lbs., ate less carbs and sugars, ate less calories, and exercised every day. The diabetes went into remission. The change is life style was great. I can do so much more. No desire to go back.

I finally gave up and ordered the Pentax SD 7x42 ED. Just couldn't hold out.

That's amazing, nice job!

Hope you can report back on the Pentax.

 

[w.travis]

Just got some "new in box" Hawke Endurance ED Marine 7x32 on eBay for £165. Welcome to the world of blue binoculars.

Any updated thoughts on your new bins?

 

[Mono]

Any updated thoughts on your new bins?

Not given them a thorough testing yet. A mix of endless rain and family commitments

 

[beacon hill]

Just got some "new in box" Hawke Endurance ED Marine 7x32 on eBay for £165. Welcome to the world of blue binoculars.

Why on earth someone want to sell a set of these . Unless they are a dealer display model

 

[Cest]

I have them. They a extremely good. They beat out my Vortex 8x32.

 

[Trinovid]

They beat out my Vortex 8x32.

If the Vortex it beat out was a Diamondback (none of which I've ever liked) that's a lot different than if it beat a Viper or UHD (both of which a very, very good binoculars). Which Vortex are you comparing it to?

 

[Cest]

The only 8x32 Vortex is a Diamondback. My point was that the Hawke 7x32 ED is very good. I have one and like it a lot.

 

[vladimir]

How about Sightmark Solitude 7x36 XD?

 

[w.travis]

How about Sightmark Solitude 7x36 XD?

I have one, see my previous post in this thread. If the Hawke Endurance ED Marine 7x32 is as good as the Zen ED2 7x36 like Mono has commented, then the Hawke is better than the Sightmark Solitude XD 7x36. Solitude compared to Zen ED2 has more chromatic aberration and poorer resolution- at least with the one I have.

 

[Mono]

Clarity and crispness wise the Hawke matches the Zen-Ray, I still have one tube of the Zen-Rays in working order for direct comparison. But the extra 4mm objective on the Zen-Rays is certainly noticeable in twilight and in ease of eye placement.

If I could have found a 7x36 or 42 with comparable image quality to the Zen-Rays within my budget, I would have got such a beast instead. But alas I couldn't.

The Hawkes are a very good binocular for the money, especially my eBay bargain ones, but they don't do the same job as the Zen-Rays did. I'll certainly use the Hawkes. My other (non-pocket) binoculars are some Opticron 8.5x36. I preferred the Zen-Rays over them, I liked the extra light and FOV over the extra magnification. I will have to see in time which whether I prefer the Opticrons or the Hawkes when out on my own. Both pairs will get used when my wife and I go out together, and she preferred the Opticrons over the Zen-Rays, so I'll be using the Hawkes then!

 

[[email protected]]

The best new 7x I have seen are the Pentax 7x32 and 7x42. They are less than $400, sharp to the edge and have no CA to speak of. They are the best bargains I have seen lately.

 

[Cest]

I posted a review of the Pentax SD 7x42 ED.